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When we build visualizations on Tableau or other tools, many of us need some kind of total for validation. It can be a total for the entire visualization or total for each of the individual segments. This is very common in crosstabs and also widely requested by end users.

Here, we shall be discussing about adding Pane totals on a bar chart in 5 different ways.

To understand what a pane is, we have to understand a concept of Tableau visualization.

When a visualization is built on Tableau, we start with a Measure (which gets aggregated) either on Columns or Rows, and then use a Dimension (to slice/dice) on Rows or Columns. At this point, the entire visualization is called a Table. If another Dimension is introduced on to Columns or Rows, the entire view is again sliced into pieces. So, every segment is considered a Pane. In simple terms Panes are Partitions of the visualization created by the two innermost Dimensions.

This is very easy to understand as a Hierarchy (*Not restricted to a Hierarchy). For example, we have a field called “Employee” having 5 employees A, B, C, D, E and we have a field called “Manager” having 2 managers M1 and M2. Employees A and B report to M1 and C, D and E report to M2. If the Employee field is used on Rows shelf, we have 5 total rows. Then the Manager field is also introduced on Rows shelf to the left of Employee field. This creates partitions. This partition is called as a Pane or Scope or Branch or Segment.

Cells make up a Pane. Panes make up a Table.

For demonstration purposes, we shall be using the Sample – Superstore dataset with the Orders table. We are building a very simple bar chart with Region and Category for Sales as SUM aggregation with labels.

Method 1

Very Straight forward and easy one. Use Total from the Analytics pane for “Subtotals” (Scope or Partition) or Use the option called “Add all Subtotals” from the Analysis menu.

Method 2

Again a very simple approach. Using the Reference Line from the Analytics pane for every Pane (Scope or Partition) as Sum or Total aggregation with a customized label.

In this case, the SUM is actually the Window_SUM() which is computed locally on the view including the duplicates Total() function will be computed on the data directly at the source excluding all duplicates.

Method 3

As discussed in the previous method,

a) Creating a Window Calculation for the existing measure called “Total for Pane”. Window_Sum(Sum(Sales))

b) Use the new calculation “Total for Pane” on Detail card and Compute Using every Pane

c) Add a Reference Line for every Pane using the “Total for pane” and customize the label

(In this case, Minimum, Maximum, Average and Median all work the same)

Method 4

a) Creating a Fixed LOD Calculation for the existing measure called “Total for Pane - Fixed”.

{ Fixed [Region] : Sum(Sales) }

b) Use the new calculation “Total for Pane - Fixed” on Detail card.

c) Add a Reference Line for every Pane using the “Total for Pane - Fixed” and customize the label

(In this case, Total, Minimum, Maximum, Average and Median all work the same)

Method 5

a) Creating an Exclude LOD Calculation for the existing measure called “Total for Pane - Exclude”.

{ Exclude [Category] : Sum(Sales) }

b) Use the new calculation “Total for Pane - Exlcude” on Detail card.

c) Add a Reference Line for every Pane using the “Total for Pane - Exclude” and customize the label

(In this case, Total, Minimum, Maximum, Average and Median all work the same)